As Heard on Morning Line: Moose Hide Tanning and Sewing in the Dené

As Heard on Morning Line: Moose Hide Tanning and Sewing in the Dené Way

An event announcement for the Anchorage Museum

Credit Anchorage Museum - Facebook

As the latest in part of an ongoing cultural revitalization effort called Nay’ dini’aa Na’ Hwt’aene Ugheldze’ Xuk’anotta Nene’ Project, Joel Isaak and Melissa Shaginoff are artists-in-residence at the Anchorage Museum this week.

Presentations at the museum are part of the collaborative project with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council, Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center & Anchorage Museum to document & teach traditional moose hide tanning & sewing during programs in Kenai, Chickaloon & Anchorage.

In October, as part of the Elders and Youth Conference by First Alaskans, the pair presented a hands-on opportunity for students to work on hides - which was met with varying levels of enthusiasm by the youth.

Throughout the project, Shaginoff and Isaak give credit to elders for their guidance – particularly Helen Dick.

Shaginoff says one huge positive effect of such a project is the tie-in to language revitalization, "

In addition to other events this week, Thursday and Friday at the Museum, a public event:

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